Night-latch mechanism



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet. l.

0. H. BRIGDEN. NIGHT LATCH MEGHANISM. 10.562,373. PanentedJune 23,1896.

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l F 4 WITNEEEEE- Win/32am (No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 2,

o. H. BRIGDBN. NIGHT LATCH MECHANISM.

N0..562373. Patented June 23, 1896.

Il-Illlll l Illllny 76 MTM-:5555- i INVl-:NTCRQ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. BRIGDEN, OF VVALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF TVO-THIRDS TO S. M. HAVES, JR., OF YONKERS, NEW YORK.

NIGHT-LATCH IVIECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,378, dated June 23, 1896.

Application iiled September 23,1895. Serial No. 563,464. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES I-I. BRIGDEN, of Waltliam,in the county o t' Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Night-Latch Mechanism, of which the following is a speciication. i

This invention has relation to locks and latches of that class commonly known as nightlatches,in which the door-knob may be connected, at will, with or disconnected from the locking-bolt, so that the door may be opened from the outside by merely turning the knob, or else (when the knob and the bolt are disconnected) may be opened only by the use of a key.

The invention is designed for many objects, the principal of them being to provide a practically burglarproof lock, or one that will baffle the ordinary thief; to simplify the parts of the lock so that they (the locks) may be manufactured cheaply and without the outlay of much capital; to reduce the number of operative parts by mounting the bo1t-actuating mechanism in such way that it may be operated bythe insertion of a key into the door-knob, and to provide simple means for connecting the knob-spindle with and disconnecting it from the bolt-actuating mechanism, which may be shifted from the inside of the door to render the use of a key unnecessary or necessary as the case may be.

Another object of my invention is to improve the construction and arrangement of the various parts of a lock, all as I shall hereinafter set forth.

To these ends my invention consists of a lock mechanism, one form of which I shall now proceed to describe with particularity.

Reference is to be had to the annexed drawings, and to the letters marked thereon, forming a part of this specification, the same letters designating the same parts or features, as the case may be, wherever they occur.

Of the drawings, Figure l is an edge view of a portion of a door with my improved lock mechanism mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is a front view of the outer knob. Fig. 3 is aseotion on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4. is a section on the line 4 4:, Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a central horizontal section on the linef` 5 of Fig. 4t.

Fig. 6 is a central vertical section on the line 6 Gof Fig. 3, one of the knobs being broken off.l Fig. 7 is an inner view of one of the roses and the parts mounted therein for connecting the knob with the spindle. Figs. S to 14, inclusive, show in detail some of the parts-mounted in the knob. Fig. l5 is a side view of the key-actuated devices which are mounted in the knob, the parts of which are shown in detail in Figs. 8 to 14. Fig. 16 shows the key which maybe employed. Fig. 17 shows the spindle detached. Fig. 18 is a perspective view of the lever which is operated from the inside of the door. Fig; 19 is a perspective view of one of the roses. Fig. 2O shows a plate which is secured to the rose. In carrying out my invention,I aim to employ the simplest possible mechanism, and the fewest number of parts, in order that 'they may be contained within a small space, so as to allow of the key-actuated devices for connecting the knob with the spindle being placed Within the knob itself and one of the roses.

The knob-spindle is indicated by a, and is secured to the shank b/ of the inner knob b by a screw or otherwise, so as to turn with the knob as desired. c is the inner rose, having in this case a concentric annular ring c to receive the end of the knob-shank b.

The bolt or latch d is mounted in a tubular casing c, which is formed in two separable halves held together by a screw e. The bolt or catch is bifurcated or forked so as to provide two arms d', either of which may be en gaged by the ends of a iin f on a square apertured sleeve f through which the spindle a passes. The bolt is held outward by a spring d2. When the knob b is rotated, thespindle in turning rotates the sleeve f, and causes the end of the iin j" to engage one of the arms d and draw the bolt back.

The bolt-casing is provided with transverse grooves to receive tongues g', extending inward from the arms g2, which are formed upon the outer rose g. When it is desired to secure the casing in a door, a cylindrical hole is bored into which the casing is placed. Then through a previously-bored transverse cylindrical aperture the arms of the rose g are thrust, so that the tongues g will enter IOO the transverse grooves in the casing and hold it in place. Screws c2 hold the rose c to the arms g2 of the rose g, thus securing the outer rose in place from the inside so that no screws appear from the inside of the door.

The spindle is shaped as shown in Fig. 17, and extends a short distance through the bolt-casing. It is formed on the end with a cylindrical portion a and a circular ilange a2, having a cut-out, recess, or slot a3, and is also provided with a socket a4, extending into the end thereof.

The outer knob h is normally disconnected from the knob-spindle a, but isadapted to be connected therewith by means of a key or by another device, all of which I shall now describe. The said outer knob is formed with a cylindrical aperture or socket extending through the shank 7L nearly to the front face of the knob, in which I mount the key-actu ated means for connecting the knob 7L with the spindle a.

i is a casting (shown in Figs. 9, 14, and 15) which is inserted in the socket in the knob h, and having a concentric pin t" formed therewith adapted to extend loosely out into the socket CL4 of the spindle a, so as to loosely connect said casting and spindle together. The casting or support t' for the movable parts is secured in the knob by a pin h2 passing therethrough, as shown in Fig. (i, so as to connect the two rigidly together.

jis a spring-held lever (see Figs. 11, 13, and 15) mounted on the casting i and adapted to have its end thrown down into the slot as in the spindle d, so as to rigidly connect the casting and the spindle together, the lever lying normally, however, in such position that it is out of the slot. Then by providing means for operating the lever I am enabled to Vconnect the spindle and knob 7i together at will. The key-actuated mechanism for accomplishing this is mounted on the casting'.

The l-atter has a cylindrical end Z2, reduced at is, the latter having two outwardly-proj ectin g studs 714. The casting or support has also a central flat portion Z5, bifurcated to form two arms Z6.

Zr, is a double-arm lever with a cylindrical end bar 7c resting in a socket i7 in one side of the casting, one arm of said lever Zr having an inwardly and forwardly projecting linger 7a2, the end of the said arm lying between the edges of the arms i6. The lever j is fulcrumed on the cylindrical end bar 7c', and has two studs 7`2j2 lying in sockets in the two arms of lever lr. By inserting a key Z, such as shown in Fig. 16, in the keyhole h3 in the knob 7i and turning it so that the ward Z lifts the end of one of the arms 7a', the lever 7o will lift the outer end of lever 7' and throw the end j down into the slot a3 in the spindle. I provide means,however, for locking the lever 7c against movement, except when a certain key is used. The means consistsof a two-armed lever m, having a cylindrical end bar 'm' lying in a socket Z8 in the casting opposite the socket 7.

One of the arms of the lever has a projection m2, with a socket m3, into which the finger 7a2 on lever 7c projects, so as to lock the finger and lever 7o from movement until lever m is rocked on its fulcrum to move the projection m2 away from the said linger. The ends of the arms of the lever m project into the space between the arms i of the casting, so that they may be swung down by wards Z2 on the key. The two levers 7c and m are also provided with sockets 703 and m4 to receive the ends of a curved flat spring m5, which holds them together. The arms i6 of the casting are also provided with wards t to increase the difficulty of fitting a key to the lock. The keyvis provided with a pin Z3, to which the duplicate wards are secured, so that when it is inserted the proper distance in the keyhole and rotated ward Z2 will first rock lever m so as to allow the lever 7e to be rocked when the ward Z' presses on the end of the arms thereof.

@'10 are stops between the levers k and m to prevent the spring from drawing them too close together. To insure that the lever j shall be returned to its normal position when released, I insert under it a springj. (Shown in Fig. 11 and in dotted lines in Fig. 5.)

It will be seen that when the levers are put in place in the casting and support, they are held there when they are all placed in the hollow knob.

In order to retain the knob in place in the rose g, I form the latter with an inwardlyprojecting flange g3, having two recesses g4, corresponding to the studs f/l on the cylindrical part of the casting which projects inwardly from the shank 7L. When it is desired to secure the knob in place, the end of the pin t" is placed in the socket a3 in the end of the spindle and the studs Z4 are thrust through the recesses g4. Then the knob and casting are turned for a quarter of a revolution until the leverj slips up into one of the recesses g4, thus locking the knob against rotation relatively to the rose g until the lever j is rocked down by means of the key and the key-actuated mechanism above set forth. The knob is therefore not 'only locked to the door or rose by the engagement of the stud i4 with the flange g3 on the interior of the rose, but is normally locked against rotation by the engagement of the lever j with the walls of one of the recesses g4 in the said flange g3. (See Fig. 7.) The rose is also cast with a web g5above the end of leverj, and a coiled sprin g Q6 is placed around the pin 1'. of the casting, and has a leg on each side of the lever j resting against the web g5, so that after the lever j is depressed and the casting and knob have been turned relatively to the rose, the spring will throw the lever, the casting, and the knob back to their proper normal positions.

In addition to the key-actuated mechanism for connecting the knob with the'spindle I also provide means which may be operated from the inside of the door, so as to render the use of a key unnecessary.

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n is a semicylindrical rock-shaft (see Fig. 18) lying in a socket in one of the rose-arms g2, and having near its end a curved arm or lever n', lying between the innermost end of lever j and the wall of the cylindrical portion of the rose. It has a slot in its outer end adapted to receive the end of a pin o, which is rectangular in cross-section, and which eX- tends through the inner rose c, and which is provided with a thumb-lever p.

q is a plate (shown in detail in Fig. 20) secured by screws between the arms g2 to the inner walls of the rose g. It is centrally apertured to receive the cylindrical end of the spindle, so as to support the latter and hold it in engagement with the pin on the end of the casting. It also holds the curved arm or lever in place, as it forms half the bearing for a cylindrical portion n3 of the rock-shaft n.

The lever or arm m lies normally, as said, above the end of the innermost end of the lever j, so that by throwing outward the end p of lever p the rock-shaft n is turned slightly by the pin 0 far enough to cause the curved arm 'n' to press the end of lever j down into the slot as in the spindle a. The parts retain this position by the frictional engagement of the lever p and the pin o with the rose c, until the end p of lever p is moved toward the shank of knob b.

It will be seen that at all times the knobspindle is longitudinally stationary-that is to say, the outer knob is locked to the spindle without any longitudinal movement.

By the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a locking mechanism which is formed of but few simple parts, and yet which is well adapted for the uses for which it is intended. It is unnecessary to form a mortise in the door in which to place the lock, two cylindrical apertures,which may be formed by an ordinary boring-tool, being all that is required. The key-actuated mechanism for connecting the spindle and the outer knob is all mounted in the knob, so that the key may be inserted in a hole therein, while until the knob is connected to the spindle it is locked against movement.

While I have shown and described one form of my invention, in a lock mechanism which seems the best now known to me, yet I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself in anyway to the details, as many changes could be made in the lock without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, though without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, it is declared that what is claimed is- 1. A lock or latch mechanism comprising in its construction, an inner knob, a bolt or latch spindle secured thereto, an outer revoluble knob loosely connected to said spindle but normally locked against movement to the door, and key-actuated means mounted in the last said knob for releasing it from engage- 'ment with the door and connecting it xedly with the spindle, substantially as set forth.

2. A lock or latch mechanism, comprising in its construction, a spindle, a bolt or latch, a knob swiveled to said spindle, a removable supportalso swiveled to the spindle and rigid with said knob, a lever mounted on said support, and a key-actuated means for causing said lever to engage said spindle, said lever and said key-actuated means being mounted on said support whereby they may be withdrawn from the knob therewith, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. A lock or latch mechanism, comprising in its construction, a bolt or latch, a spindle, a knob, a support swiveled to the spindle and rigidly secured in the knob, a lever on said support for connecting the knob and the spindle, a key-actuated lever for operating the iirst said lever and means for locking the keyactuated lever, substantially as set forth.

4.' A lock or latch mechanism comprising in its construction, a spindle, a hollow knob, a rose, a lever, and key actuated means mounted in the knob, for locking and unlocking the lever to and from the rose and to and from the spindle, substantially as set forth.

5. A night-latch mechanism comprising in its construction, a spindle, an inner knob rigid therewith, and outer hollow knob swiveled thereto, a lever connected to said outer knob and adapted to engage said spindle, key-actuated means in said knob for operating said lever, and a hand-actuated rotary rod extending from the inside of the door and having an arm for operating said lever, to render the use of the key unnecessary.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 14th day of August, A. D. 1895.

CHARLES n. BRIGDEN.

Vitnesses Marions B. MAY, ARTHUR` W. CRossLnY.

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